Sai Kishore

Sai Kishore, born on 6 November 1996, is a left-arm orthodox spinner who has carved his path in domestic cricket through his wicket-taking ability and disciplined, economical spells. His journey was not the quickest to take off, but his steady improvement reflected his persistence and clarity of purpose.

He made his List A debut for Tamil Nadu in the 2016-17 Vijay Hazare Trophy in March 2017, picking up two wickets. Around that phase, a well-publicised on-field incident became a turning point, pushing him to refine his skills and come back stronger. He soon followed it up with his first-class debut later in 2017 and his T20 debut in early 2018.

Kishore’s breakthrough came in the 2018-19 Ranji Trophy, where he led Tamil Nadu’s bowling charts with 22 wickets in six matches. His ability to control the flow of runs, especially in the Powerplay, became a defining feature of his bowling. He carried that form into the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, continuing to make an impact in the shortest format.

His consistent domestic performances earned him an IPL contract with Chennai, who picked him up for INR 20 lakh in 2020. Although opportunities were limited, he remained in the system, even being part of the squad in 2021. A bigger break came in 2022, when the Gujarat Titans secured him for INR 3 crore and backed him through multiple seasons.

In 2023, he made his T20I debut for India at the Asian Games, representing the country against Nepal. Backed by strong domestic returns, he continued to grow in stature, and the Gujarat Titans showed further faith by using their Right to Match card to retain him for INR 2 crore ahead of the 2025 IPL season. He repaid the faith shown in him with an extended run, picking up 19 wickets in 15 matches.

The TNPL followed, where he led IDream Tiruppur Tamizhans to the title, contributing with both bat and ball alongside his leadership. A new chapter in his career came later in the year when he represented Surrey in the County Championship in England, where he showcased his red-ball prowess. Given the performances he put in during the 2025 campaign, he remained in the Gujarat Titans’ plans for 2026.